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The Hood begins his quest to become the Kingpin of All Supervillains in New York by inviting a large contingent of villains to a meeting where he gives each of them $25,000 of seed money, partly to gain their confidence, partly to buy their loyalty. He promises them much more where that came from if they join him in creating a new criminal empire with Robbins at the head. Their number includes Chemistro, Madame Masque, Griffin, Crusader, Tiger Shark, Blackout and Jigsaw, who had been attacked and beaten by Tigra in an earlier robbery. To prove himself to the gathered supervillains, the Hood seeks out and viciously beats Tigra, threatening her mother's life as a warning, while Jigsaw films the attack.

At the after party, Chemistro informs The Hood of a plot by Owl to sell Deathlok, which he stole from S.H.I.E.L.D., to the highest bidder. As Owl hasn't gained permission from his new crime syndicate, The Hood decides to gatecrash the auction. Sending Madame Masque, the Crimson Cowl, the Wizard, and Dr. Jonas Harrow as proxies he effortlessly ambushes and dispatches the Owl.

John King and The Hood reconvene in the back room of run-down bar where they are confronted by a curious Wolverine who overhears their plans to run Deathlok through the lobby of Avengers Tower. They escape by shooting Wolverine and assuming the form the Nistanti who originally owned his hood, using this form to escape.

Chemistro suggests that they change their plan and instead use Deathlok to rob a federal reserve bank in New Jersey, seeing it as a more profitable venture than a suicidal attack on Avengers Tower. The robbery is successful, netting them over $15 million (US), although Deathlok is destroyed in the process. As the group celebrates their victory, Luke Cage smashes through the wall of their base closely followed by nearly the entire population of the New York superhero community including the New and Mighty Avengers, the Fantastic Four (including Storm and The Black Panther), The Defenders, the Silver Surfer and Thor.